ARC Review: Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger

Romancing the Inventor (Supernatural Society #1)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Gail Carriger
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Publication Date: November 1, 2016

To Sum It Up: Imogene Hale isn’t sure what to expect when she enters into service as a parlourmaid for the Woolsey vampire hive, but surely life there must be more interesting than the one she’s leading now. Intrigue for Imogene arrives quickly in the form of Madame Genevieve Lefoux, a brilliant inventor indentured to the hive. The chemistry between the two is instant and undeniable, and Imogene would love nothing more than for the inventor to show even the smallest sign of sharing Imogene’s feelings. Madame Lefoux, however, appears to still be nursing a broken heart, and Imogene faces quite the challenge in convincing the inventor that she might be able to love again.

Review: What a trifecta of awesomeness Gail Carriger has released in 2016: first with her novella Poison or Protect, then the second Custard Protocol novel, Imprudence, and now with her latest novella, Romancing the Inventor. I was very, very much looking forward to reading the latter not only because I absolutely adore the supernatural, Victorian steampunk world of Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series and will read anything set in it, but also because Romancing the Inventor checks in on Madame Genevieve Lefoux, a Parasol-verse character last seen facing a rather hapless fate after running amok through the streets of London with one of her inventions.

Readers who are not familiar with Madame Lefoux’s previous adventures need not worry here. The ingenious thing about both this novella and Poison or Protect is that they are entirely self-contained; no familiarity with the Parasol-verse is assumed or required. You get enough of Madame Lefoux’s backstory to understand her character here, but without overwhelming neither newcomers to the world nor readers who already know her history with too many details. Carriger strikes a harmonious balance in writing with both sets of readers in mind.

Although Madame Lefoux features prominently in Romancing the Inventor, it’s parlourmaid Imogene Hale, a character new to even readers of Carriger’s other works, who is the novella's protagonist. Life in a small English village holds very little for Imogene, so she gains employment at Woolsey Castle, home to the Woolsey vampire hive and its queen, Countess Nadasdy. The much hoped for excitement Imogene sought among vampires doesn’t take long to materialize, and what follows is a wonderfully sweet, slow burn of a love story. The romance runs into a few obstacles along the way, including hesitance on the part of Madame Lefoux, who still isn’t quite over a past love. Fortunately for Imogene, she later gains a very persuasive ally to assist her with convincing Madame Lefoux to entrust her heart to someone again.

Like Poison or Protect, Romancing the Inventor was just the right number of pages. Other novellas I’ve read felt a bit short and not long enough to really get to know the characters and/or tell a complete story, but neither issue arises here. Math and I have always been archenemies, but even I chuckled at the clever math references. I’m also extremely curious to read more about a certain character from the Parasol Protectorate novels thanks to the side of that character that’s shown here. Not only would I love to see this character featured in a future novella, but really all of the minor characters from the Parasol-verse because these novellas are such a delight to read.

All in All: I can’t emphasize enough that you can pick up this novella and enjoy it whether you’re completely new to the world or have read any number of other works set in it. If you loved the original Parasol Protectorate series like I did and always wondered what happened to Madame Lefoux, then definitely read Romancing the Inventor to find out; you won’t be disappointed!

Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

* This review contains spoilers for the previous books in the Bloodlines series.

The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6)
By Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Sydney and Adrian have been granted sanctuary at the Moroi Court, but while this means that Sydney is relatively safe from the wrath of the Alchemists, neither she nor Adrian can do much to assist in the search for a missing Jill. Sydney may be forced to venture outside of Court, however, when it appears that Jill’s abductor is a past enemy of Sydney’s and out for revenge. While Adrian worries about Sydney falling back into the Alchemists’ hands, she in turns fears the consequences of his continued use of spirit.

Review: It’s time to say goodbye to another favorite series of mine—Bloodlines. I feel especially sentimental about this one coming to an end because the first Bloodlines novel was the very first book that I reviewed on the blog almost three years ago. Ah, the memories.

When I began reading this series, I remember being a tad skeptical of Sydney’s ability to anchor the series as the protagonist. Following in the thunderous footsteps of Vampire Academy’s Rose Hathaway isn’t easy, but Sydney quickly grew on me. Of course I’d already fallen in love with Adrian back in VA, so seeing him with a prominent role in Bloodlines instantly won my heart over to this series. Watching both characters develop tremendously over six books, as well as watching the relationship between the two of them blossom, has been the highlight of the series for me.

I just had to gush about Sydrian for a minute, but now I’ll attempt to gather some focus and home in on the particulars of The Ruby Circle. Something I noticed when I plucked my copy from the shelf was that it seemed on the slim side for a series ender. It’s just under 350 pages, and although I try not to judge books by their page counts, I was still a little surprised. Were all of the plotlines going to be wrapped up by the end? In response to that question, I would say—mostly.

While I was very happy with the conclusion of The Ruby Circle and I think longtime fans will be, too, the book also drops a revelation that leads me to believe we haven’t seen the last of these characters. So I’d call this an ending that isn’t quite an ending because it leaves at least one door ajar for a spin-off of a spin-off. And obviously, I would totally read that.

This has turned out to be a bit of a tricky review to write, because despite enjoying reading this, it didn’t wow me as much as the previous novel, Silver Shadows, did. There was a definite comfort in being in the company of Sydney, Adrian, Eddie and their friends one last time, but the plot of this one, which centered around the search for Jill, wasn’t as compelling as the search for Sydney in Silver Shadows (no offense meant to Jill). Perhaps it was because in the latter, we knew exactly what was happening to Sydney firsthand in that horrible Alchemist re-education hellhole. This is my best effort at explaining my feelings toward The Ruby Circle: it hit some very sweet spots that reaffirmed my love for the series as a whole but wasn’t quite the page-turner that some of the other Bloodlines books have been.

All in All: Although I’d expected a little more from The Ruby Circle—more suspense, more tension, and maybe even a few more pages, the series wrapped up very nicely.

Review: Timeless by Gail Carriger

* This review contains spoilers for the previous books in the Parasol Protectorate series.

Timeless (The Parasol Protectorate #5)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Alexia can’t seem to just enjoy a normal, peaceful family life, not when she’s a soulless preternatural, her husband is a werewolf, and their daughter has unique, metanatural abilities of her own. The queen of the Alexandria Hive has taken an interest in Lady Maccon and her child and requests their presence in Egypt. Since one does not disregard such a call from Queen Matakara, the Maccon family is bound for Egypt, and, very likely, danger.

Review: Binge reading the Parasol Protectorate series has been a most enjoyable experience, and I’m sad to now find myself at the conclusion of this reading journey. I’m not ready for the epic book hangover that’s about to commence.

A bit of time has passed since the ending of Heartless, when Alexia and Conall welcomed their daughter, Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama—she of the multiple appellations (and those don’t even include the additional endearments bestowed on her by her adoptive father, Lord Akeldama). Now a precocious toddler, she’s as sassy as her mother and as stubborn as both of her parents. Prudence is also adorable; she gets into a lot of hilarious mischief, again just like her mother. I’m thrilled that a grown-up Prudence is getting her own spin-off; if her early adventures are any indication, the new series is going to be fantastic!

Young Biffy steps forward into the spotlight in Timeless, and as someone who’s loved the dandy since Soulless, I couldn’t have been happier. He’s had a difficult time adjusting to a different type of immortality than he originally aspired to, so it was nice to see him finally finding his place within the pack. I loved the direction Biffy’s story line took, as well as the significant role a certain other character (name omitted to avoid spoilers) played in it.

Alexia has experienced her fair share of travel across five books, and a good deal of Timeless takes place in Egypt. Of course, a bounty of humor is mined from the ordeal of simply reaching her destination. Not only is she accompanied by her husband and daughter, but she also counts the entire Tunstell family and an acting troupe among the party. The rather eclectic assembly may seem a little odd, but it makes perfect sense in Alexia’s world as well as makes for some hearty laughs.

A number of the loose threads that were left floating around from the previous books are revisited in Timeless, and one in particular returns to sting Alexia sharply. While I was mostly satisfied with the resolution of the various plotlines, I couldn’t help wishing that a few things had been more thoroughly explained. I’m still not totally sure what the Order of the Brass Octopus is all about. All along, the series threw hints about the kind of man Alessandro Tarabotti, Alexia’s father, was, but even with what’s revealed about him in this book, he, too, remains rather a mystery to me. And I’m completely confused about Floote’s character now. What just happened?!

Here’s the thing, though: I’ve had too much fun reading this series and loving these characters (Lord and Lady Maccon forever own a spot on my list of favorite fictional couples) to be too bothered by some unfinished plot business here and there. And maybe further answers await in Prudence’s series, which I am most desperate to read. Thank you, Gail Carriger, for continuing to write about this world because I’m far from ready to leave it.

All in All: Timeless is an excellent finish to a stellar series. Now, where is the move adaptation of the Parasol Protectorate? Because that would be awesome!

Review: Heartless by Gail Carriger

Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate #4)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Just when Alexia may finally be getting a break from all of the attempts on her life, a ghost warns her of a threat against Queen Victoria. Naturally, Alexia must look into the matter, even if she finds her mobility quite limited at the moment. The course of the investigation turns up some rather surprising information, as well as the alarming realization that the would-be assassin may be an all too familiar figure.

Review: I’m running out of words to laud the Parasol Protectorate series with—and I still have one book to go. So that review may consist of a sentence or two because I’ve spent everything in my vocabulary bank on Heartless. But we’ll worry about that at a later date.

While the second and third books in the series, Changeless and Blameless, respectively, were both highly enjoyable reads, they were a notch off from the spectacular series opener, Soulless. Heartless, I feel, is a return to what made the first book perfect—plenty of shared scenes between Lady and Lord Maccon.

Alexia and Conall didn’t have all that much page time together in Changeless and especially in Blameless, and that was the missing element. Those two kids—I love them individually, but together, they’re phenomenal and just ignite the page. They squabble constantly, but that’s been the foundation of their relationship since Soulless. Without that tension, which produces so many hilarious quotes, they wouldn’t be Alexia and Conall. Even though the earl behaved like a certifiable dunderhead at the very end of Changless and throughout most of Blameless, my resolve to stay mad at him was weak. He makes me swoon too much. Everything about Lord and Lady Maccon’s relationship makes me swoon, even when the romance is teeming with sarcasm. In fact, I couldn’t envision it any other way.

I was also happy to see Lord Akeldama (and his drones) put in plenty of appearances. The series would not be the same without his lordship’s italics. Professor Lyall and Floote are their usual reliable selves, trying to keep life from becoming too insane for Lord and Lady Maccon. Ivy gets a chance to prove herself as a secret agent of sorts when Alexia formally inducts her into the Parasol Protectorate and dispatches her on her first official mission (sensible hat choices apparently not being a requirement for membership in the organization). As intriguing an addition as Madame Lefoux has been to the series, I can’t help feeling extra fond of the original core group of characters. They all shine in Heartless, which was yet another reason why I loved this book so much.

Quite a lot of craziness takes place toward the end of Heartless, setting up some extremely interesting story lines for the series finale. Alexia and her logic can always be counted on to solve the most difficult problems, though, so I have complete confidence that she’ll handle anything that heads her way, especially if that something is trouble.

All in All: Nothing but love for this one!

Review: Blameless by Gail Carriger

Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate #3)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Poor Alexia never expected to find herself embroiled in a scandal that’s the subject of all of the London gossip columns, but that’s exactly what has happened to her. There’s also the slightly more pressing matter of some vampires who want to kill her. No longer safe in England, Alexia heads to Italy, but the danger that awaits her there may be even worse than the one she’s fleeing from.

Review: Well, I've reached the midway point in this simply wonderful series, and it continues to be a most addictive read. Book #1, Soulless, still reigns as my favorite thanks to all of the verbal sparks between Alexia and Lord Maccon, but there's still so, so much to love about Blameless.

Alexia can't seem to go anywhere without someone trying to kill her, not even when she makes a thrill-packed flight from England that takes her and her companions, Madame Lefoux and Floote, through France and on to Italy. There's hardly ever a lull in the action in Blameless, and although the danger that Alexia is in is very grave indeed, she handles it with her usual logic and aplomb. As long as there's tea available.

I really, really felt for Alexia in this one because she's not only dealing with murderers highly intent on their mission, but she's also trying to put on a brave face despite a broken heart. I love Lord Maccon lots, but I went into Blameless pretty steamed at the Earl of Woolsey because of some things that happened in Changeless. He has some serious remorse in Blameless, and the way he expresses it—well, in keeping with the humor of the series, I wanted to laugh.

With Lord Maccon, ahem, indisposed, Professor Lyall gets a significant turn in the spotlight, stepping in to attempt to keep the increasingly restless Woolsey pack in line. The good professor has been a favorite character from the beginning of the series, and he's utterly brilliant, and not just in mind, in Blameless. It's thanks to him that the earl continues to have a pack to lead, and while Lyall always treats his Alpha with all due respect, he also isn't afraid to stand up to Lord Maccon's bluster when necessary.

Blameless also gives Floote a few opportunities to shine, showing off what a badass he can be. Yes, I just used "Floote" and "badass" in the same sentence. Believe me, there's so much more lurking beneath that stoic exterior. And I love how Gail Carriger makes the most of his dialogue; Floote is a man of few words, but they never fail to be wit-tastic.

As much as I chuckled out loud while reading Blameless, I think this one was just a tad more serious in places than its predecessors. I was particularly struck by what happens to one of my favorite secondary characters. Don't fear that the series has departed too far from its signature humor, however, because it's still present in droves. Just try not to snicker at the thought of Ivy, with her atrocious taste in hats, being charged with running Madame Lefoux's millinery shop in the latter's absence!

All in All: I am well and truly addicted to this series. On to Alexia's next adventure!

Review: Changeless by Gail Carriger

* This review contains spoilers for the previous book, Soulless.

Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate #2)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Lady Alexia Maccon, recently appointed to the Shadow Council by Queen Victoria, has a new mystery on her hands. Something with the power to cancel out the abilities of the supernatural, the very thing that Alexia herself is capable of, has swept through London. Even more concerning for Alexia, this unknown threat seems to be headed in the same direction as Lord Maccon, who has suddenly taken off for Scotland on pack business. So Alexia is off to Scotland, too, most reluctantly accompanied by her lovelorn best friend and petulant half-sister.

Review: With all of its acerbic wit, lovably quirky characters, Victorian England setting, and explosive chemistry between preternatural Alexia and werewolf Lord Maccon, Soulless became an instant favorite of mine. I was desperate to get my hands on Changeless, but fate was a bit cruel and made me wait five days for a copy to arrive. In the meantime, I tried to retain my sanity because I needed to read this so badly.

I love the writing style of this series so. Much. I’d be perfectly happy talking all proper-like all the time if only everybody else wouldn’t think I’d gone completely batty. The prose certainly give the books an irresistible charm but without coming off as gimmicky. Seriously, I can’t read enough of it.

Our indomitable heroine Alexia, now Lady Woolsey, acquits herself splendidly once again. She’s armed with an upgraded parasol that’s more lethal than any parasol she’s carried in the past, which is a necessity for someone who flirts with danger as often as Alexia does. In this installment, she can’t even enjoy a nice dirigible ride to the Highlands of Scotland without running into trouble. Of course, so much of the fun in reading about Alexia’s adventures is waiting to see how she’ll manage to escape her latest scrape.

The steampunk gets turned up a few notches in Changeless, especially with the introduction of Madame Lefoux, inventor extraordinaire. It’s Madame Lefoux who, at Lord Maccon’s request, outfits Alexia’s new parasol with all sorts of ingenious weaponry. There’s also quite a lot of intricate detail, and maybe just a mite too much, about the aethographor, kind of the steampunk version of the telegraph. Overall, though, the technology of this world is fascinating and only one of the many reasons why I wish I could live in it.

One nitpick that I have about Changeless is how minimally some of my favorite characters from the first book appear in it, like Professor Lyall, Lord Akeldama, Biffy, and Floote. Even Lord Maccon is off-page for a while, much to my dismay. I also must vent my feelings over the ending of Changeless: NOOOOOOOO!!!! I’m rather peeved at a certain character right now. I shall, however, put all my faith in Gail Carriger to set all to rights with the next book, which I am very happy to report I have on hand so as to avoid another horrible delay in continuing this wonderful series.

All in All: Changeless is a very good sequel and earns bonus points for traveling to the Scottish Highlands amidst my current Outlander obsession. I confess to enjoying Soulless a tad more, but I am still wholly in love with the Parasol Protectorate series as a whole.

Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate #1)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster with no soul. Her touch cancels out the supernatural abilities of both vampires and werewolves, who normally recognize Alexia for what she is—preternatural. One unfortunate vampire, however, is unaware whom he’s dealing with when he tries to bite Miss Tarabotti, and she has no choice but to defend herself with her trusty parasol. The mystery vampire’s death leads to an investigation that uncovers some disturbing happenings among Victorian London’s supernatural population. Never one to shy away from danger, soon Alexia is in the midst of it, as her preternatural gift seems to have garnered the attention of some shadowy individuals.

Review: I. Absolutely. Loved. This.

I ended up reading the bulk of Soulless on Christmas, which could not have been more fitting because encountering so many of my favorite bookish elements in a single novel was like unwrapping one Christmas present after another after another. Victorian London setting. Sassy heroine. Swoon-inducing male character. Lively, witty banter. Copious humor. Paranormal creatures. Cool steampunk. And these are just the things I can think of off the top of my head!

I love everything Jane Austen, and Soulless definitely evokes her works, from the writing style to the comedy. I laughed heartily and frequently while reading this, especially at how embarrassing our dear heroine Alexia’s family could be. Think Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Alexia, obviously, is the most sensible of the lot—smart, into books, and completely unafraid to speak her mind, even at the expense of propriety.

I adored Alexia. She’s neither a shrinking violet nor your typical Victorian era lady. She walks around with a parasol that can double as a weapon in a jiffy if necessary. Her sharpest weapon by far, though, is her words. Rare is the occasion when Miss Tarabotti is at a loss for them. Not many can go up against her razor sharp wit except perhaps Lord Conall Maccon, Earl of Woolsey and Alpha of the Woolsey Castle werewolf pack. For whatever reason, the werewolves I’d read about in the past never left that much of an impression on me. Until now. Lord Maccon is an Alpha male in every sense of the word. Mmm . . . oh, right, I was writing a review. And oh my God—the verbal sparring that goes on between Alexia and Lord Maccon is priceless. They certainly have an Elizabeth Bennet/Mr. Darcy type of dynamic, albeit with much more rudeness and, uh, shenanigans that you won’t find in an Austen novel.

I am so, so, so, so happy that I finally got around to beginning this series. Soulless is just perfect, even more so for its high-spirited heroine admittedly not being so. The secondary characters are just as wonderfully infused with life and poised to capture your heart. I’m thinking especially of Lord Akeldama, Alexia’s vivacious vampire friend, Professor Lyall, Beta to Lord Maccon, and Floote, butler to Alexia’s family and a bit of an unsung hero, if only for tolerating Alexia’s mother and half sisters. I could never fit all of the gushing I want to do over this book in a single review because Soulless deserves every superlative in existence.

All in All: Winning in every way! I am officially obsessed with The Parasol Protectorate (and Lord Maccon). Soulless is the ultimate mix of everything I could possibly want in one book.

Review: Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan

Team Human
By Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

To Sum It Up: Vampires are just part of the population of New Whitby, Maine, but Mel Duan has never been fond of them. Her best friend Cathy, however, finds them fascinating and is smitten with Francis Duvarney, the new vampire student at school. Mel does not approve in the least, and she’s determined to prove to Cathy that there is nothing at all desirable about a vampire’s way of life.

Review: This month marks six years since I first read a little novel about vampires called Twilight, so I chose a pretty apt time to pick up and read Team Human, which takes a very tongue-in-cheek approach to our fanged friends. If you’ve read any vampire book at all, not necessarily Twilight, you’ll still appreciate the plentiful humor in Team Human that mostly targets all things vampiric.

I’d seen multiple reviews that mentioned how hee-larious this book is, and I’d like to add to the chorus. Francis, the new vampire arrival at school, is old (if you count back to when he was transformed), old-fashioned, and has a penchant for speaking in an old-timey manner. I couldn’t help but think of another fictional teenage vampire whenever Francis appeared on the page, and I also couldn’t help cracking up at the spoof here. Francis isn’t the main character, however; that would be Mel, best friend to the human girl who falls for Francis and vice versa.

To say that Mel does not like Francis or vampires in general is an understatement. She vehemently opposes the budding relationship between him and her best friend Cathy and makes her disdain for Francis very obvious. Although some of Mel’s wisecracks are a riot (she refers to Francis as an “undead love weasel”) and her protectiveness of her friends, especially Cathy, is undeniable, Mel’s methods for helping her friends can be heavy-handed at times. I thought that some of her actions in the name of keeping Cathy from getting hurt were more meddlesome than beneficial to Cathy. Mel does get called out when she goes too far, but that wouldn’t be necessary if she didn’t overstep boundaries in the first place. I still have mixed feelings towards Mel; I really liked her wicked sense of humor but was far less keen on her overbearing side.

With Team Human being very much a plot-driven novel, most of the characters aren’t overly complex. Kit, a character whom I found endearing straightaway, was a notable exception. His backstory is quite interesting, and he’s also quite witty, especially when the subject is Francis (poor Francis). Even six years after Twilight, I still haven’t grown weary of reading about vampires, and Team Human was an enjoyable vampire parody.

All in All: Recommended for anyone looking for a vampire book that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Review: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the Bloodlines series.

Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5)
By Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Sydney’s worst nightmare has come true: she’s been taken to an Alchemist re-education center, where the Alchemists’ methods for reinforcing loyalty to the organization are every bit as horrible as she feared. Sydney’s prison even prevents Adrian from contacting her through dreams. With no apparent way out of the Alchemists’ grasp, not even Sydney’s formidable logic and resourcefulness may be enough to help her escape.

Review: Although I enjoyed reading The Fiery Heart, I couldn’t help feeling that it just didn’t quite have the same spark as the other Bloodlines novels. Silver Shadows, on the other hand, was absolutely awesome. I devoured it in a little over a day, completely absorbed by poor Sydney’s imprisonment by the Alchemists and both her and Adrian’s attempts to break her out of there.

Sydney is incredible in this book. She’s always been skilled at using logic to escape tough situations, but Alchemist re-education is unlike anything she’s previously gone up against. It’s hell. Re-education has been alluded to in the previous books as something to be avoided at all costs, but it’s another thing entirely to watch Sydney endure physical and psychological torment at the Alchemists’ hands, all in the name of “cleansing” her sin. The Alchemists preach about the evils of vampires, but they’re perfectly fine with breaking their own people.

Even under these conditions, though, Sydney continues to fight. The other detainees in the re-education facility are wary of her because they don’t want association with someone so tainted to delay their own release. Still, Sydney manages to muster a few tenuous alliances in a place where anyone could betray her at any time.

Adrian, meanwhile, is totally falling apart in Sydney’s absence. His spiral into self-destruction is heartbreaking. He’s never felt like more of a failure because he’s unable to find a single clue to Sydney’s whereabouts, even through dreams. Adrian’s struggles may be of a different nature than Sydney’s, but his pain is very much as searing as hers is.

The tension build-up in Silver Shadows is superb. There’s barely a lull in the novel, especially in Sydney’s chapters. Her mind is always at work to undermine her captors, all while she tries to convince them that rehabilitation is working. It takes Adrian a while to find his way, but when he does . . . he’s simply amazing. I didn’t think it was possible to love him more than I already did, but by the end of this book, I’d found tons more love for him. I can’t forget to mention how much I loved Adrian and Sydney’s extended family, too: Jill, Eddie, Angeline, Trey, new-ish guy Neil, Ms. Terwilliger, and, of course, little Hopper. They’d do anything for each other, and that’s truly on display here. Heck, this book even gave me a newfound respect for rebel Alchemist Marcus Finch.

Richelle Mead is brilliant at dropping bombshell endings, and this one . . . . Let’s just say that I wish I could fast forward time to the release date for the next book.

All in All: Silver Shadows blew me away. The dual POVs suited it perfectly, and it just threw twist after twist at you.

Review: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the Bloodlines series.

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4)
By Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: As Sydney strays further and further from her Alchemist beliefs, the danger that she’ll be found out becomes increasingly real. Sydney finds herself needing to keep more and more secrets, an especially challenging task now that her younger sister, Zoe, is shadowing her on her assignment in Palm Springs and is very eager to prove herself as an Alchemist. Sydney has always excelled at foreseeing potential problems and heading them off, but under this much pressure, including keeping a forbidden romance under wraps, not even Sydney may be immune to making an extremely costly mistake.

Review: The Fiery Heart brings a significant change to the Bloodlines series. For the first time, there are two POVs, and of course the big news is that one of them belongs to none other than Adrian Ivashkov. I remember when this was first announced and how I had a mini-freak-out because . . . Adrian. POV. Reading from Adrian’s POV! Yes!

Perhaps I went into reading The Fiery Heart with a tad too much anticipation because I needed a few chapters to really get into Adrian’s side of the story. I know, I know—what the hell is wrong with me? I’ll try to explain my thinking as best I can. The trademark Adrian Ivashkov snark is there, but maybe I just expected more of it since we had direct access to his thoughts. Instead, a lot of his pages were devoted to his feelings for Sydney, and while I’m 100% Team Sydrian, I also still wanted Adrian to just be Adrian, the guy who always has a smartass remark armed and ready.

As I read, though, I started gaining more of an investment in his chapters. Something that may not have been as apparent in the previous books is the extent to which spirit can torment him. It gives him dizzying highs and alarmingly despairing lows, and when he’s experiencing a low, he’s consumed by thoughts of worthlessness. This is the same Adrian whom everyone often perceives as arrogant and carefree. What’s really heartbreaking is that he’s reluctant to give up using spirit because he believes he won’t be able to help people anymore. His biggest fear is not being able to help Sydney if she needed him. Commence swooning now!

The other POV in The Fiery Heart belongs to Sydney, naturally, and she’s breaking just about every Alchemist rule now. She has evolved into quite the rebel; one of her story lines follows her research into developing an ink that resists the type the Alchemists use to enforce loyalty among their ranks. In addition to her super secret project, she also has to carry out her regular duties, namely keeping her other “family members” out of trouble. This job, which is already tough at the best of times, is made much more difficult by the presence of Sydney’s actual sister, Zoe, at Amberwood Prep. Do not get me started about Zoe; she’s every bit the heap of trouble I expected her to be. I suppose it could be argued that Zoe is the product of some terrible parenting/brainwashing by her and Sydney’s father, but I’m really not in the mood to scrape together some sympathy for Zoe.

Although I thought The Fiery Heart started a bit slow compared to the previous Bloodlines novels and once again went into a rather lengthy recap of the series thus far, it did find its groove eventually. The action toward the end was intense, and Eddie got to demonstrate some serious guardian badassery. Waiting so long to read this has actually worked out for me because I can proceed straight to Silver Shadows now and pick up where the head spinning ending of The Fiery Heart leaves off.

All in All: I liked The Fiery Heart a lot, but maybe not as much as the other books in the series, despite being able to read from Adrian’s perspective. The pacing felt a bit leisurely for a while, but I did think the novel finished strongly.

Review: Transfusion by Nikki Jefford

Transfusion (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #1)
By Nikki Jefford
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Aurora Sky can’t wait to graduate high school and say goodbye to life in Alaska, but a car accident halts all of her plans for the future. She’s revived by none other than the government, which needs her and her rare blood type for its secret program to eliminate vampires. Aurora wants no part in this, but she has no choice if she wishes to stay alive. Without her monthly injection that only the government administers, she’ll die. And so Aurora embarks on her career as a vampire hunter, all while trying to complete her senior year.

Review: It’s been a while since I read a vampire book, and Transfusion was a nifty little vampire read. It’s not every day that you’re brought back to life by government agents who now want you to kill vampires for them in exchange for the whole saving your life bit. That’s exactly what happens to our heroine, Aurora, and her subsequent adventures keeping Alaska safe from her fanged foes are quite thrilling.

Transfusion features some hard-hitting action scenes and totally delivers on the vampire hunting. Poor Aurora tangles with a super crazy vamp early on in her training, and as cool as her job sounds, I’m not sure I’d like to try it. It’s actually really, really dangerous, and though not all of the vampires Aurora meets want to exsanguinate her on sight, the ones who do are pretty scary. Something that I found rather funny was the gung-ho attitude of Aurora’s fellow hunter and assigned mentor, Dante, toward the vampire extinguishing business. Aurora’s first mission is to take out some big, bad vampire, and Dante isn’t concerned in the least; in fact, he’s supremely confident that she can dispose of her target with ease. Aurora’s heart belongs to someone else, but she and Dante make an awesome team professionally.

In addition to making the action exciting instead of run-of-the-mill for a vampire book, Transfusion’s other strength is its characters. They’re drawn really well, especially the secondary ones, like Aurora’s friend, Noel. While I did think that Aurora should have figured out what was going with a certain character sooner than she did, overall I found her to be a solid protagonist. She kicks some major vampire ass, and that demands a certain amount of respect.

Having read more than a few vampire novels in the last few years, they aren’t as guaranteed nowadays to reel in my interest, but Transfusion is a cut above other titles of its type. Although these vamps aren’t too different from the norm, the well-paced story keeps Transfusion from feeling like standard vampire fare. I really dig the secret government agent angle of this, too, and eagerly anticipate reading about Agent Sky’s next mission.

All in All: I enjoyed this and think it’s worth checking out for fellow vampire fans.

Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3)
By Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill

To Sum It Up:

All her life, Sydney Sage has been taught to never question the Alchemists’ teachings, but recent events have her doing just that. She sets out in search of the mysterious Marcus Finch, a former Alchemist who’s gone rogue. In tracking him down, Sydney hopes to discover what the Alchemists are really up to because she strongly suspects that they’re withholding important information from her. Meanwhile, Sydney also finds herself involved in another search of a different kind. Someone is targeting young women who haven’t tapped into their magical abilities yet and draining both their youth and their powers. As much as Sydney wants to help find the culprit, it means using her own magic, yet another thing that goes against everything she believes in as an Alchemist. Sydney realizes that she has reached a crossroads in her life, and she must decide whether to continue on the Alchemists’ path or to part ways with them once and for all.

Review:

The previous Bloodlines novel, The Golden Lily, saw straitlaced, logical Alchemist Sydney Sage allowing her heart to have more say in her decisions. In The Indigo Spell, Sydney, fed up with the Alchemists’ subterfuge, ditches blind loyalty and is determined to uncover what secrets the organization she’s dedicated her life to is hiding. The new, rebellious Sydney even gets busted for breaking curfew!

I’ve liked Sydney as a protagonist since the first Bloodlines book, but rebel Sydney is definitely my favorite so far. Richelle Mead has done such a great job with Sydney’s character progression, having her grow into someone who now questions authority and puts those she cares about before duty, all while retaining the qualities that make Sydney, well . . . Sydney. She’s still very uncomfortable with using the magical powers she didn’t even know she possessed until recently. They stand in complete opposition to Alchemist beliefs. The thought of what would happen if the Alchemists found out about her magic use weighs heavily on Sydney’s mind, as does her muddle of feelings towards one Adrian Ivashkov. If dabbling in magic is a big Alchemist no-no, then a potential Alchemist/vampire romance is a super big no-no. But realizing that the Alchemists may not be the models of integrity they portray themselves as really pushes Sydney to a breaking point. Her choices, like helping her history teacher, Ms. Terwilliger, stop the witch who’s stealing others’ powers, may flout Alchemist rules, but they stem from good intentions. The Alchemists, on the other hand, claim to be acting in the name of good, but Sydney’s faith in them has been shaken, perhaps permanently.

A huge factor in Sydney’s changing perspective on life has, of course, been Adrian. His impulsiveness and carpe diem outlook have been good for her, and her determination and focus have been a good influence on him. These two truly complement each other, something that I didn’t predict happening when I began reading the series. Adrian himself has come a long way character-wise. Don’t worry—he’s still Adrian and still spouting clever Adrian-isms, but he’s also matured a lot. He tells Sydney that he’s learned from the mistakes he made trying to win Rose’s heart, and he’s not going to repeat them with Sydney. Knowing how conflicted her emotions are, he gives her space, but he’s ready to jump to her side at a moment’s notice to protect her. Just when I thought Adrian couldn’t possibly melt my heart any further . . . .

In the days leading up to the release of The Indigo Spell, the name Marcus Finch seemed to be everywhere. I expected this former Alchemist to play a major role in the book, but in the end, I found his importance overhyped. I also found him rather overconfident and of the mindset that he can smile his way through any situation. I didn’t fall for his charm, and fortunately, neither does Sydney. I doubt we’ve seen the last of Mr. Finch, so it’s likely he’ll have additional chances to impress me more than he did here.

Although I really enjoyed The Indigo Spell, I felt that it didn’t quite measure up to either Bloodlines or The Golden Lily. There was a rather detailed recap of how Sydney, Jill, and Eddie wound up in Palm Springs; three books into the series, I think I have a pretty good handle on that backstory. The resolution of Sydney’s two missions in this book, digging up dirt on the Alchemists and tracking down the power-robbing witch, seemed a little anticlimactic to me, too. Maybe that’s because I’ve grown accustomed to Richelle Mead’s bombshell endings. She still leaves you plenty to think about in the conclusion of The Indigo Spell, though, while you await the release of the fourth book, The Fiery Heart, later this year.

All in All:

I’ve become as invested in this series as I was in its parent, Vampire Academy. Though I loved the first two Bloodlines books a smidge more than this one, The Indigo Spell was still a very fun read. I would join Alpha Yam Ergo in a heartbeat!

Review: The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

The Hunt (The Hunt #1)
By Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

To Sum It Up:

Most teenagers don’t have to worry about things like whitening their fake fangs or keeping their facial expressions perfectly neutral while out in public, but Gene isn’t the average teenager. He’s a human, or heper, living among vampires who would devour him in an instant if they knew what he really was. Until now, Gene has managed to pass for a vampire, dutifully attending school at night and pretending to be delighted at the sight of a plate of raw meat. But his cover is about to be threatened by the announcement of the Hunt, a momentous event in which the greatest prizes imaginable, hepers, await the strongest hunters. Gene believes his odds of being selected as a contestant are slim to none, but then the unthinkable happens. He’s chosen to compete in the Hunt, and if he isn’t careful, his fate will be the same as that of the other hepers.

Review:

The Hunt was a mixed bag for me. Although I found the premise, in which human teenager Gene struggles to hide what he is in a world ruled by voracious vampires, interesting, I had a hard time getting into the book. I felt like there was an aloofness to it that prevented me from becoming invested in it until I was about halfway through the novel. Once the action got going, The Hunt was more enjoyable, but I wish that I hadn’t had to wait so long for something riveting to happen.

The protagonist, Gene, is one of the few humans, or hepers, as they’re called in the novel, left in existence. He’s been on his own since his father was bitten by a vampire. It was Gene’s father who instilled in his son rules for surviving among the vampires. Gene has to make sure that he never gives off body odor or has facial hair; he also has to wear fake fangs and keep absolute control over his facial expressions. This means no sneezing, laughing, coughing, etc. I had some trouble believing that this kid could remain undetected by the vampires for as long as he had. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have some close calls with revealing his true nature, but for being around these keenly observant predators for hours a night at school, I would have expected him to get found out a lot sooner. I know that I would have been a tasty vampire snack within a nanosecond of setting foot in that school.

I’m still not sure what to think of Gene, either. I was mostly indifferent to him until he came into contact with the humans who were going to be the targets of the Hunt. Not only does Gene stay mum about the details of the Hunt, but he actually looks down on these poor people. He’s surprised to discover that they can hold a conversation and are literate. His attitude irked me quite a lot, and even though he somewhat redeems himself later on in the book, I couldn’t shake his first impression of his fellow humans from my mind.

Where the story became the most engaging for me was when the focus shifted to the humans. They’ve spent their entire lives in captivity and have been raised at the Heper Institute just so they can be hunted down like animals. Reading about what their lives were like and the horrible purpose that they were intended to serve packed the most emotional punch in a book that otherwise felt clinical in tone to me. Sissy, the leader of the group and the only female, is an awesome character. Her courage makes it obvious why she’s in charge, not to mention the fact that she’s lethal with a dagger. I thought that the humans’ plight was much more compelling than Gene’s attempts to blend in as a vampire, and I kept hoping that they’d find a way to escape their situation.

Around the halfway point of The Hunt, I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to read the sequel; I wasn’t a big fan of Gene and the world-building. Second thoughts began swirling, though, when pandemonium broke out in the book, and I started turning the pages with eagerness. The thrilling way in which the actual Hunt played out left me looking for more to read. I’m still undecided about reading The Prey. On the one hand, the ending of The Hunt made me curious to know what happens next; on the other, if the pacing in The Prey is anything like that of its predecessor, I don’t think I have the patience to read 150 pages or so before the real action commences. I might continue with the series, but it’s not a priority.

All in All:

I think your success with this book hinges on how you find the world-building. I couldn’t totally wrap my head around Gene avoiding detection for so long, especially once he was taken to the Heper Institute to prep for the Hunt and for a while had no access to water, neither for drinking nor for bathing. I did, however, like getting to know the humans as more than mere game for the vampire hunters, as well as the gripping finale. The strength of these two things bumped the book up to a three star rating.

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
By Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

To Sum It Up:

In a world where vampires rule over humans, Allison Sekemoto struggles daily to survive. Humans are nothing more than food sources to the vampires, and Allie holds out hope that someday, her kind will rise up and reclaim their freedom from the soulless creatures. But a choice between life and death changes everything for Allie. Now that she has turned into the very thing she hates, Allie begins a new battle, one in which she fights to retain a shred of her humanity. This becomes vitally important when she encounters a group of humans who think she is one of them. As Allie finds herself growing more and more attached to these people, and one person in particular, so does her determination to keep the monster side of her true nature at bay.

Review:

The Immortal Rules was my first YA vampire read of 2013, and I couldn’t have started off the year with a better vampire novel. I feel really, really guilty for allowing this book to collect dust on my shelf since last summer, when I first bought it. Apparently, I didn’t even get around to reading the jacket blurb because I was surprised to discover that The Immortal Rules is also a dystopian novel, and it is an excellent one at that.

I like the dystopian genre a lot, but it takes just the right combination of elements to make a dystopian novel work for me. I need to know the ins and outs of how the world I’m reading about came to exist. If the explanation is sketchy, I’m probably not going to enjoy the book. On the other hand, if the details are laden with scientific jargon, I’m lost there, too. At first I was a bit nervous when I began reading The Immortal Rules because I wasn’t quite grasping the world. There was a virus and these creatures called rabids which did not sound pleasant at all, but I felt like the how and the why behind these things hadn’t been explained. I’m happy to say that all is revealed eventually, and I ended up appreciating the manner in which Julie Kagawa drew me into this world piece by piece. Her descriptions of dilapidated skyscrapers in the vampire-controlled cities and the surrounding woodlands taking over any former traces of human habitation really give you the sense of a broken, desolate civilization. Toss in the aforementioned rabids rising out of the ground at night to devour anything in their path, and this book is absolutely terrifying in places. The rabids are vampires born of scientific experimentation gone afoul, and they follow a single instinct—to satisfy their hunger. In that sense, they reminded me of zombies. The tone of The Immortal Rules is dark, bleak, and sometimes flat-out scary, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I loved how richly drawn the characters were, with Allison and her vampire creator, Kanin, being the standouts. Allison is a fantastic heroine; from the opening pages, you get the impression that she’s a fighter. It’s her tenacity that makes her choose life, albeit the life of a vampire, over death after a rabid attacks her. As a human, Allie despises vampires and what they’ve done to humanity, but I can’t fault her for her decision to become one of them. She’s facing imminent demise, and she’s not ready to lie down and give up. I have to admire her resolve. Allie’s transition to her new immortal life isn’t easy, but she doesn’t become bogged down in self-pity. And any heroine who can take down rabids with a katana as fiercely as Allie does is all right in my book.

I was really intrigued by Kanin, the vampire who turned Allie. He acts as a mentor of sorts to her, teaching her what she needs to know to adapt to her new life. I love how unreadable this guy is; most of the time, he maintains a cool demeanor, yet there’s a part of him that seems to genuinely care about Allie’s well-being. Kanin also has quite the interesting past, which looks as though it will continue to play a major role throughout the series.

For me, the most riveting aspect of this novel was Allie’s constant struggle to retain a connection to her former human self and not turn into a savage killer. Kanin warns her that taking human lives is an inevitable part of her nature now, but Allie battles to keep her predatory instincts from consuming her. She’s tested again and again, and there are low moments when she can’t help but wonder if it wouldn’t be easier to just give in. It’s heartbreaking to watch her scorned because of what she is first by Stick, a member of the group of humans she used to scavenge with, and then by Zeke, who is part of a human traveling party in search of a city rumored to be run by humans. Zeke’s revulsion is particularly hurtful to Allie because if there was anyone who she hoped would be able to see the good in her, it was Zeke. Allie’s trials are punishing, both physically and emotionally, and I won’t forget about them any time soon.

Simply put, this book blew me away. It’s a winning combination of vampires and a dystopian world, with a kick-ass heroine whose inner conflict is one of the most haunting ones I’ve read about in a long while. When the sequel, The Eternity Cure, is released, I will definitely buy a copy. I will not, however, leave it sitting on my bookshelf for months like I foolishly did with The Immortal Rules!

All in All:

The Immortal Rules has certainly earned a place among my favorite vampire books. Dystopian enthusiasts should also take note of this one because, vampires aside, it’s an absorbing dystopian read.

Review: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Jessica #1)
By Beth Fantaskey
Publisher: Harcourt

To Sum It Up:

Jessica Packwood receives the surprise of her life when the Romanian vampire prince she’s been betrothed to since birth turns up in her rural Pennsylvania town. Jessica is a vampire, too, the biological daughter of vampire royalty. There’s even a guidebook called Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions to help her adjust to this shocking news. Despite both the book and her fiancé Lucius’s determined efforts to convince his future wife to accept her destiny, Jessica wants no part of his world. But she may have no choice but to join it when she learns that she is the key to averting a war between her and Lucius’s families.

Review:

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is a solid take on the ubiquitous subject of teenage vampires. Although it doesn’t add anything particularly groundbreaking to the topic, I liked the sort of culture shock (species shock might be a better way to describe it) that both Jessica and her prince-to-be, Lucius Vladescu, both experience. She has to absorb the fact that she’s a vampire; he has to adapt to living among American humans as he tries to woo the girl he’s always known he would marry. It’s a really awkward situation, what with Lucius posing as a foreign exchange student at Jessica’s school and staying with her family, and the ensuing hilarity is one of the highlights of the book.

Poor logical Jessica, a self-described “mathlete,” just can’t wrap her head around the revelation that she’s a vampire, and a royal one at that. I thought she was okay as a heroine; she wasn’t overly memorable, but she did grow more confident as the story went along. While I didn’t think that she should have dropped everything to run off with Lucius when he first came crashing into her life like a ballistic missile, I wasn’t crazy about her deciding that she wanted to be with him once he turned his attention elsewhere. Jessica redeems herself in the end, though, so I do give her credit for finding the courage to face danger head-on.

I couldn’t help but love Lucius; to me, he stole the show. His letters to his uncle Vasile back in Romania, containing Lucius’s less than flattering observations on American culture, are a riot. Lucius is one haughty vampire, but there’s actually a good guy beneath that snooty exterior. The bond that he forms with Jessica’s adoptive parents, who treat him like family, is very sweet. I think readers’ opinions of him will depend on how tolerant they are of snarky, arrogant vampire princes. I happen to be highly tolerant of them, so I didn’t have a problem with him until he started getting chummy with mean girl Faith Crosse, Jessica’s archenemy. This development really put a damper on my enjoyment of the book; by this point, I just wanted Jessica and Lucius to get together and live happily ever after already. Instead, the story became progressively darker in tone, which in itself I didn’t mind, but the shift from the lighter mood of the previous chapters seemed rather abrupt.

Despite a few flaws, Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side proves that there’s still plenty of mileage left in vampire-centric stories. Beth Fantaskey excels at writing humor, which helps to set this book apart from its peers. I’d read a collection of Lucius’s letters in a heartbeat if it were available.

All in All:

This was a pretty creative variation on the typical YA vampire novel. It does falter in a handful of places, but on the whole, the book is an entertaining, and often amusing, read.

Favorite Quotes:

“The Packwoods have been kind enough to supply me with a TV out here in my backyard exile, to which I can only reply with the Americanism 'Whoopee.'”—Lucius, Chapter 7

“Can I ever again be happy in our soaring Gothic castle after walking the halls of Woodrow Wilson High School, a literal ode to linoleum?”—Lucius, Chapter 7

Review: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)
By Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill

* I received a copy through Goodreads First Reads.

To Sum It Up: Alchemist Sydney Sage continues her mission to watch over Jill Mastrano Dragomir, half-sister to the Moroi queen. Although the Alchemists firmly believe that vampires are aberrations of nature, Sydney has grown comfortable being in the company of Jill, guardian Eddie Castile, and the inimitable Adrian Ivashkov. Sydney frequently wonders if she’s become too close to her little group and worries what would happen if her superiors thought so. When a new threat to all vampires, both Strigoi and Moroi, arises, Sydney must decide between adhering to the Alchemists’ procedures, like she always has, and following her feelings.

Review: The gang is finally back, and not a moment too soon. I only read Bloodlines a few months ago, but it seemed like I’d gone ages without a new Adrian quip. After finishing the Vampire Academy books, I couldn’t really picture the character combination of Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian working in Bloodlines, but I should know much better than to question Richelle Mead’s genius. Those four are brilliant together, and their relationship only strengthens in The Golden Lily. They may be posing as a family as part of their cover story, but they truly have become one.

What struck me the most upon finishing this book was how much the characters had grown, especially Sydney. I was pleasantly surprised by her engaging narrative voice in Bloodlines, and she really establishes herself as a heroine in The Golden Lily. We know that she’s super intelligent and fiercely dedicated to her Alchemist work, but we haven’t seen much of the person behind that stoic professional exterior until now. It was a lot of fun watching Sydney let her hair down a little at last and enjoy life outside of her job. Sometimes she feels guilty for doing so, just as she feels guilty over how much she’s come to care for her vampire companions. Sydney’s struggle to reconcile the Alchemists’ teachings with her loyalty to her friends increasingly makes her question the accuracy of the Alchemists’ view of vampires. I liked that Sydney challenged her beliefs and began to rely on her instincts as well as logic when making decisions. She’ll probably never be the warrior that VA’s Rose Hathaway is, but Sydney has her own way of putting up a fight that is equally powerful.

And now for the obligatory Adrian paragraph! Like Sydney, Adrian has matured as a character since Bloodlines. The trademark charm and wit are still there, but he has quite a few unguarded moments in which his sincere, caring, sensitive side shines through. He also goes through a rough patch that’s heartbreaking to watch because he’s been trying so hard to bring structure to his life and change how others perceive him. Adrian really wears his heart on his sleeve in this book, and as much as I love his arrogant, snarky self, I adore this Adrian, too.

As in Bloodlines, the baddies are pretty easy to spot. The action in The Golden Lily takes a little while to kick into high gear, too, but when it does, it’s like a volcanic eruption. It’s Sydney’s constant internal conflict between listening to her mind vs. listening to her heart that takes center stage here, and it’s just as intense and absorbing as a physical battle. Be prepared to retrieve your jaw from the floor when you reach the ending; I know I had to. Repeatedly. Um, how long until the next book comes out?

All in All: Bloodlines fans won’t be disappointed until they arrive at the last sentence and realize that they must begin the wait for a new installment all over again. Here’s hoping that we won’t have to go too long without our Adrian fix.

Random Rambles: Further Thoughts on Bloodlines

As its name implies, Random Rambles is the place for all of the stuff (book-related, of course!) that doesn't fit in anywhere else. Sometimes there isn't enough room in a review to express everything that's on our minds about a book.  Sometimes we need to vent about what a character has said or done. Sometimes we just want to babble about books in general.

This first installment of RR is about Richelle Mead's Bloodlines.  My original review (posted together with Lee's) ended up being quite long, so I decided to put the rest of my thoughts in a separate post. 

*Spoiler warning if you haven't read Bloodlines yet *



Okay, I’ll get all my comments about things which annoyed me out of the way first. Well, let’s start with some of the first people introduced into the novel: Sydney’s father, mother, and younger sister. The father annoyed the holy crap out of me. I’m sorry, but if I was Sydney, I would have run away years ago. Who does this guy think he is? He barges into Sydney’s room in the middle of the night and demands her to be presentable for a surprise meeting. What the jello?! Sydney is a legal adult, therefore he can no longer boss her around like that. I know there is a thing called tough love, but Sydney’s father was just a plain old gruff man who liked to boss people around. I liked the mother; she seemed pretty cool (even though we didn’t technically get to meet her because she was too busy sleeping while her daughter, Sydney, was getting tattooed and shipped off to God knows where). The younger sister was almost as bad as the father. The little brat is yelling at Sydney for making her “look bad” while the accused was really trying to save the accuser’s life! Talk about ungrateful.

Guess who’s next on my rage-filled ramble? Keith the freak! This creeper gets a whole ranting paragraph to himself. First off, he is a complete dweeb to Sydney. Even Sydney The Calm and Collected wanted to punch his remaining eyeball out. Haha, I laughed so hard when I pieced together the fact that Abe was behind Keith's "accident." It was even funnier that Keith thought he survived a Strigoi attack (I would be surprised if he survived a tricycle attack). It made me happy to see that he got what he deserved. He was such an arse; how can he justify in his head what he did to Sydney’s older sister? And it gets funnier folks! Even though Keith The Creep took advantage of Sydney’s older sister, Sydney’s bossy father loves Keith The Creep like the son he never had! This is where the phrase "bad parenting" comes into play. Arrgh!!  I hated how Keith kept trying to get Sydney in trouble for the littlest things. And then he would take credit for all the things Sydney was doing while he’s performing an illegal activity! You know what really got me mad? When he was all like, “Jill can stand a little sun.” Ummm, she’s a Moroi vampire, you spineless gelatin! And then he blamed Sydney for not getting Jill out of outside activities in physical education! I can go on for ages about Keith, but I would rather spend my time ranting about Adrian and other beloved characters. So let’s get to the good stuff!

WHO just walked in the door?!

I flipped out when Rose, Abe, and Adrian showed up in the beginning of the book! I was just so happy to see Rose again; she is one of the greatest heroines I have ever read about! Speaking of reappearing characters, how many of you guys flipped out when Dimka walked in at the ending of the book?!  I freaking flipped out!! I was reading it like at midnight, and I had to stuff my flipping fist in my mouth to stop me from screaming. I was so happy, and I had no one to tell!  It was killing me until I could finally talk to Lee about it.

So this last little paragraph on thoughts and theories is dedicated to our two favorite lovebirds, Sydney and Adrian. I luv, luv, luved their relationship. There was the perfect amount of drama, hate, embarrassment, tension, and . . . love! I really want those two to get together. But, I’m afraid that Dimitri (God bless his soul) is going to cause a lot of trouble.

So tell me what you think! Whether you agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter. Feel free to express your thoughts and theories!